This woman was assaulted on her bicycle and the police did nothing
Danica Helb was pepper-sprayed by a driver who violated California’s three-foot law
Danica Helb was riding her bike to work in 2016 in San Francisco’s Mission Bay when a driver passed her dangerously close, violating California’s three-foot law for cyclists.
Helb, an infectious disease scientist at UCSF, decided to try and tell the driver how dangerous her move was, but when the driver rolled down her window it was to unleash pepper spray.
Today we feature Danica’s story as part of Human Streets’ ongoing video series, “Woman Just Want To Be Safe” by filmmaker Kristin Tieche and photographer Adrienne Johnson.
Even though Helb filed a police report and provided evidence from witnesses, the cops did nothing. “The city could make everyone feel safer on their bikes if they took these incidents more seriously,” says Helb. “It seems like there’s no repercussion for drivers who behave erratically.”
And of course, Helb is advocating for more protected bike lanes in San Francisco, which would make the streets safer for cyclists, and everyone else.
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